Pillows and Secrets
by That Weird Angel
Summary: Demi Lovato has always stolen pillows from hotels where ever she goes. Simon Cowell asks her about it and why she does it. She retaliates by asking what he is watching on his phone, as he is being secretive with it. He relents to her, and a game of giving out secrets ensue between all of the X Factor judges.


**Disclamier: I own the song Sleeping Beauty. I wrote it. Please ask for permission to use it in your own story if you wish to. Now on with the story.**

"Demi!" The male, British voice called. Simon was calling for her to get up and he was pounding on the hotel door for close to three minutes now. She had to stop annoying him by not getting up but it was so much fun.

"What?!" She called out, just to get on his nerves. Demi already knew what he wanted from her but couldn't help it. Annoying the hell out of Simon Cowell was a favorite past time of hers. Since she was came on to X Factor she had discovered it and exploited it. She was now filming her second season on the show.

"Get up, brat!" Simon called. "We leave in half an hour!"

Leave it to Simon to make her rush. Demi threw back the warm covers and leapt from her bed and to her bathroom. She turned on music and took her hair down from the ponytail she slept in.

 _No time for a shower._ _Thanks, Grandpa_ , Demi though, adding in a few choice swear words. She sprayed dry shampoo into her hair and then brushed it. She had no time to decide on a hairstyle so Demi was forced to out it into a messy bun and call it finished. She swiped on some concealer underneath her baggy eyes from staying up half the night reading a horror story and had been too afraid to go to sleep after.

Simple make-up was all she needed for today as it was just a travel day for X Factor. Today they were flying to Denver, Colorado. She and the other judges typically stayed in a hotel by LAX the night before a travel day. Those were the days she had to tred lightly around Simon as he always for pissed easily on them because he had to get up early. He had never been pissed at her though. Demi's presence seemed to calm Simon down for some reason.

"Demi, you've got ten minutes left," Kelly called from outside the door to her room.

"Thanks for the warning, Kell!" Demi said loud enough for Kelly to hear her.

 _Crap_ , she thought. _Not enough time to pick out a decent_ _outfit_.

Demi quickly rummaged around her suitcase by the end and pulled out a pair of black leggings. She found an old, white tank top to pull on over her bra and found a black and white plaid flannel to put on over the tank top. Demi put on a clean pair of white socks and pulled on her favorite pair of sneakers.

It was a simple outfit but comfortable and it would work for the plane ride to Denver. When she and the other judges got to Denver, they would be dressed in better clothes and have professional make-up done at the hotel.

"Demi! _Cinco mimutos_!" She heard Paulina call to her, slipping into her first language of Spanish.

Demi called back thank you, replying in Spanish just for Paulina Rubio. It pleased Paulina that Demi spoke some Spanish so Paulina urged her to speak it when she was with her. It was a fun way for Demi to remember the Spanish she had learned in online schooling. Paulina could be a bit of a bitch before she had her coffee in the morning and Demi could lessen the bitchiness by replying to Paulina in Spanish.

Demi hurriedly stuffed her charger for her phone, the book she had been reading, and her sunglasses in her purse. She stuffed the make-up bag she brought with her, her toiletries bag, and the pajamas she had been wearing into her suitcase. She checked her phone for notifications and found a few e-mails and text messages she should probably respond to sometime. She put her phone into her purse, planning to check the e-mails and text messages on the way to the airport.

She took a pillow and set it at the foot of the bed so she could grab her suitcase's handle and pull it. She put the strap on her purse onto her arm and tucked the pillow under the other arm. Demi pulled on her suitcase's handle and began to walk to the door.

"Demi, are you ready?" Kelly asked.

"Yes! Can you open the door for me, Kelly? Please?" Demi asked, replying to Kelly Rowland's question.

Kelly opened the door for Demi so she could walk through. Kelly was wearing a gray pair of sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and sneakers. Paulina, however, was wearing something slightly different than Kelly's ensemble. She was wearing jeans, a long sleeved white top, and an orange patterned scarf, and a pair of ballet flats.

"Nice outfit, Kell," Demi said sarcastically. Normally Kelly was always made up and wearing nice clothes for travelling.

"I didn't wake up until fifteen minutes ago. This is what I slept in," Kelly said.

"Well, you look good anyways. Where's Simon? Is that _loco_ not ready?" Paulina asked.

Demi snickered and replied no, he was apparently not ready. She rolled her eyes while she spoke.

Simon was never on time, he was always late. No matter what, he was late.

"Simon? Are you ready yet?" Demi called. "Which room is his?" She asked.

"That one," Paulina answered, pointing to the door across the hall from Demi.

Demi marched over to the door and pounded against it with her palm open.

"Simon Cowell! You better be ready or we will be late!" She yelled at his door.

"Yeah, yeah, brat. I'm ready," he grumbled as he pulled his suitcase out of his hotel room.

Simon was dressed as simply as his other judges were for travelling. He was in a basic pair of light colored jeans, his trademark white t-shirt, and a black pair of boots.

"Let's go," he spoke, walking in the direction of the elevator. Paulina, Kelly, and Demi all began to grumble about not having coffee yet while walking behind Simon.

"You'll get it when we get to the airport," Simon said. They entered the elevator one by one and Simon pressed the button for the first floor. They exited the elevator, deposited their room keys at the check in desk, and left the buildimy. They were finally leaving, albeit five minutes late . Demi and the other judges tossed their suitcases in the back of Simon's limo.

 _Finally_ , Demi thought. _To the airport_.

She climbed into the car after Simon and sat next to him. Somehow he hasn't noticed she had stolen a pillow from the hotel. She did it last time they travelled with each other. Demi didn't do it for his attention, she did it just to have fun. She didn't feel guilty when she stole the pillows from hotels because it was fun for her.

When the limo reached the airport, the three women were practically aching to get coffee. It was the only thing on their minds. Demi hasn't answered any of the e-mails or text messages, except for Wilmer, her boyfriend's, texts. She needed coffee. Badly.

They checked in their bags, and quickly went through the TSA security as they were celebrities just so they could get a coffee from somewhere before they boarded Simon's private plane.

As they were about halfway to the gate where Simon's plane was, Simon spotted the Starbucks.

"Girls, look. Coffee," Simon acknowledged, pointing to the coffee shop. Kelly, Demi, and Paulina followed where his finger was pointed.

"Starbucks," Demi said. "We have to go."

"Go," Simon dismissed them with permission to go. Permission was only necessary when they were leaving the group and permission was just telling someone where they were going.

The female judges walked over to the Starbucks and joined the line.

"What are y'all gettin'?" Kelly said. "I already see mine."

"I have to order mine off secret menu," Paulina remarked. "They don't serve it in America."

"My usual," Demi commented.

Very quickly the judges were at the front of the line. The barista's green eyes widened to the size of saucers from the people she saw in front of her.

"Hi. What can I get you?" The starstruck barista managed to squeak out to the girls.

Paulina went up first saying, "hello. Can I please get a grande Tazo Chai Creme Frappuccino, one pump of vanilla syrup, two pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup, and three pumps chai syrup. Can I also get a scone, please?"

"Sure, name?" The barista squeaked out as she pulled a cup out.

"Paulina."

The barista wrote Paulina's name on the cup and went over to the baked goods display and pulled out a scone. The barista gave the scone to Paulina and told her the total. Paulina moved off the side to wait for her drink and for Demi to order, while she put change back in her purse.

The barista let out a small squeal as she saw that the Demi Lovato was next in line.

"Hi," the barista breathed out.

"Hi," Demi said, smiling at her. "Can I please get a grande cinnamon dolce latte and a muffin?"

The barista nodded and said, "Name?"

Demi gave her her name and the barista wrote it down and then got a muffin from the baked goods display. Demi moved to where Paulina was now standing with her drink and Demi began to break off parts of her muffin and eating them. She received her drink about a minute after Kelly had ordered hers.

She looked at her cup to see how her name was spelled. The barista had written her full given name, Demetria Devonne Lovato, correctly and had drawn a Lovatic heart by it. The barista was obviously a Lovatic. She never had let it on hen taking Demi's order. Demi loved it when her fans were so happy to meet her and when her music had helped them with their own personal struggles that she he

"What did you get, Kelly?" Demi asked after Kelly was given an almost neon green drink topped with some sort of red thing.

"This?" Kelly shook her drink. "A Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino."

"That sounds disgusting," Paulina remarked as they were walking back to where Simon was standing with their purses and Demi's stolen hotel pillow.

"Better?" He questioned. The female judges nodded to answer his question. "What did you all get?" He asked while they were walking to the gate where they would board Simon's plane.

"I got a Cinnamon Dolce Latte," Demi said, taking a sip of her drink.

"I got a Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino," Kelly said.

"I'm sorry, but that sounds like rubbish," Simon commented.

"I know. Doesn't it?" Demi agreed with Simon.

"Paulina, what did you get?" Simon asked.

"I got a special drink that's served where I'm from," Paulina answered.

"What is it?" Simon inquired, genuinely curious as to what it was.

"It's a Horchata Frappaccino," Paulina replied.

"I've never heard of it," Simon remarked.

"It's delicious!" Paulina said as they were walking through the private section of LAX and being given stated and double takes from people exiting. None of the judges glanced at the staring people looking at them because they were used to it by now.

It had taken Demi a couple of years to get used to the fact that she would be stared at by people almost everywhere she went. A girl came up, running to the group, causing the X Factor judges to stop in their tracks.

"Hi. My name is Olivia and I am a huge fan of you, Ms. Lovato," the girl rushed. She was pretty in a way with milk chocolate skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. She explained she became a Lovatic when she was ten, when the first Camp Rock film came out. She explained she was a huge X Factor fan and Simon and Demi were her favorite judges. This fact seemed to inflate Simon's ego even more. The girl couldn't have been more than sixteen but her voice sounded younger than she actually was.

"Can I please get autographs from both of you, Mr. Cowell and Ms. Lovato?" Olivia asked. Demi decided she must have come from the South, judging from the twang the girl had with pronouncing certain words.

"Of course!" Simon said. He took the pad of paper and the Sharpie from Olivia's outstretched hand. While be wrote his messy signature, Simon asked, "now who is your favorite judge out of Demi and I?"

Demi couldn't help but laugh at Simon's question. If was so like him.

"Considering I worked with both of you last year on the set of X Factor in Dallas and both of you are very nice people in real life, I can't pick a favorite," Olivia replied to Simon.

"I think I remember you!" Demi said excitedly. She could remember a rather pretty black stage hand from last year in Dallas.

Simon handed Demi the pad of paper and the Sharpie. Demi scribbled out her own signature and added a Lovatic heart to it.

"Do you do anything musical, Olivia?" Demi asked.

"Well, I love to write songs and poems and I can play the piano and the guitar," she answered.

"Can we hear one of these original songs then?" Simon asked.

Olivia blushed and said yes. She began to sing: " _Once apon a time_

 _There was a maiden who was so fine_

 _Boys wanted to call her 'mine'_

 _But she told 'em_

 _'No, no, no'_

 _And they called the girl_

 _Sleeping Beauty_

 _Sleeping Beauty, ooh, ooh, ooh_

 _One day a wicked woman_

 _Put a spell on the girl._

 _She was doomed to sleep_

 _Forever._

 _Unless it was broken by a true_

 _Love's kiss._

 _And they called her_

 _Sleeping Beauty_

 _Sleeping Beauty, ooh, ooh, ooh_

 _She fell into a deep_

 _Sleep_

 _And the boys tried to wake her but they couldn't._

 _They weren't her true love._

 _One boy kissed her,_

 _A magical kiss_

 _She woke up_

 _So they could_

 _No longer call her_

 _Sleeping Beauty_

 _Sleeping Beauty, ooh, ooh, ooh_."

"I'm impressed with you writing abilities, Olivia," Simon said.

"Wow." Demi was sincere when she spoke, genuinely liking the song.

"The lyrics are really good. You definitely have potential for the music industry, Olivia," Kelly said.

Paulina spoke, saying, "I think that the song would be very pretty in Spanish."

"Thank you! I'm really happy that you liked it," Olivia said. "I've got to go now. I see my mom waving me to her. Thank you again!"

Demi could see a short, black woman where Olivia had pointed and ran over to. She looked almost exactly like Olivia.

"Come on. We've got to get to the airplane," Simon said tersely. Demi almost snorted and laughed at Simon's order. He was always late.

"Says the man who's continuously late himself," Kelly retorted. Kelly spoke exactly what was on Demi's mind often.

Paulina and Demi both let out hoots of laughter at Kelly's comeback to Simon.

"Good one, Kelly," Demi said giving her a high five. "You took the words right out of my mouth!"

By the time that the female judges reached the airplane door, they were still in peaks of laughter and Simon was rolling his eyes.

A little old lady had yelled at Simon for seemingly taking advantage of Demi's age simply because they had been walking together, thinking that Demi and Simon were an item. As soon as the old woman was out of earshot, they all laughed until they couldn't breathe.

Walking onto the plane, they finally stopped laughing. The inside of the plane was posh and proclaimed to the whole world Simon was immensely rich. Even though Demi had already been on Simon's plane for the previous season of X Factor, she couldn't help but let out a quiet gasp.

Paulina and Kelly were in similar states of awe. Both women had their mouths wide open as they moved through the cabin to find a seat and put their stuff down.

"Simon, this is amazing," Paulina breathed out.

"I know. Isn't it?" Simon said. Kelly nodded, still speechless.

Demi plopped her stuff down in the seat next to Simon's.

The inside of the airplane was white with wood at the end of the cabin and about halfway up the plane's walls. The seats were a tannish brown color, made out of leather. There were coffee tables and a couple of regular height tables strewn throughout the cabin. The cabin itself was divided I'm half. The front half held a bathroom by the pilots, the tables, and seats. The other half held a bed in it so Simon could sleep during his overnight flights. The bedroom had a door at the front of it so it could offer some privacy.

"This is huge, Simon!" Kelly said, somewhat in awe as she put her purse and her carry-on above the seat where she was going to sit across from Demi and Simon.

"I've never been in a private plane before," Paulina remarked. Even though she was a superstar in Latin America, Paulina flew first class. She hadn't yet amassed a fortune as big as Simon's.

Demi sat down in her seat and texted Wilmer they were going to leave soon as they just got in the plane. She put her phone in airplane mode when she was done texting.

"Simon, do you have Wi-Fi on the plane?" Demi asked

"Yes, wait until we're cruising first to go on it," he answered.

Simon had to have been richer than Demi had originally thought. Even though his clothes didn't show how rich he was, Simon preferred it that way instead.

"You have a radio in here?!" Paulina said impressed. The radio was on the side of the seat she was sitting in for the flight to Denver, Colorado. Paulina began to mess around with the radio dials and Demi could hear snippets of songs from all different genres, including Spanish and Latin American music.

"Wait until take off before you put it on for good," Simon said.

Soon enough, the plane bound for Denver was on the runway and then taking off.

"Can I put in the music now?" Paulina asked, childlike.

"Go ahead," Simon replied.

"Put on something good, Paulina!" Kelly said after Simon spoke to give Paulina permission.

Paulina put the radio on the genre that she loved, international music. Demi began to dance in her seat the the Spanish song while Paulina sang along

"Different song please, Paulina. Only you know the words to this one," Kelly said.

Demi watched Simon pull his phone out and respond to a message. He kept the device close to his body for some reason

Paulina changed the station and the announcer on the radio spoke, "we're throwing it back to 1996 with this song from a popular English girl band!"

"Oh no, I know what song this is," Simon complained.

Demi heard the footsteps and the laugh that proceeded the song.

When the girls finished singing along to the Spice Girls "Wannabe", Demi noticed Simon didn't look up from his phone once. He was watching a video.

"What'cha watching?" Demi asked, leaning over to try and glimpse what he was watching on his phone.

"Nothing," Simon answered curtly. He quickly hit the home button on his phone before Demi could see the video properly. Simon was watching something he didn't want her to see. Now she wanted to see what he was watching even more.

"I want to see. Let me see," Demi begged as she reached for his phone.

"No. What I was looking at is a secret only for me to know. Why do you have that pillow, Demi?" Simon asked, dodging Demi's attempts to grab his phone.

"I'll tell you why I have the pillow if you tell me what the secret is!" Demi said.

"Simon has a secret, and he's not telling? Spill it, Simon! I want to know it," Kelly said.

"Secret? Tell us, por favour, Simon," Paulina added in.

"No," Simon responded tersely.

"Would you rather tell your secret if we each tell one of our own secrets, Simon?" Kelly said, trying to get the secret out of Simon.

"Possibly," Simon said, suddenly taciturn.

"Who'll go first?" Paulina said.

"I will," Demi offered. "I steal pillows from hotels all the time whenever I stay at one and then I leave it at the next hotel on my trip. I have quite a few at my house now."

Simon, Kelly, and Paulina laughed at Demi's little secret.

"So you're a kleptomaniac?" Simon quipped to Demi.

"No! I'm a pillow hoarder!" Demi said, slapping Simon's arm lightly. He faked being hurt so Demi quipped back, "aw, did I hurt the big baby?"

Paulina and Kelly laughed at Demi's quip towards Simon.

"I'll go next," Paulina said, kicking off her ballet flats and crisscrossing her legs on her seat. "I rarely wear things above knees because mine are scarred from childhood."

"What did you do to your knees, Paulina, as a kid?" Kelly asked.

"They were always scabbed from clumsiness and constantly never healed, so now scarred," Paulina answered, lifting one eg of her jeans to show off her left knee. The skin around it was paler than the rest of her body and crisscrossed with little lines.

"Ew," Demi said, wrinkling her nose. "I can't stand having my knees scabbed and I'm the most klutzy person that I've ever known!"

"You were clumsy, Paulina?" Simon questioned.

"Very. I would trip on air as a child," Paulina replied.

"My turn!" Kelly said excitedly, nearly bouncing in her seat from anticipation. "I've been waiting to tell y'all this! I was waiting but I'll tell now. I'm getting married next year!"

"Oh my God, Kelly! Are you joking?" Demi said, just as much excited as Kelly had been a minute ago.

"I'm not joking!" Kelly replied while she was searching through her purse for something.

"Do you know when next year?" Paulina asked her.

"No. My fiance and I haven't picked a date yet," Kelly responded.

"Congratulations, Kelly," Simon said. He was being uncharacteristically quiet when he was typically running his mouth and could be counted on to never shut up.

"Here it is!" Kelly said putting a ring onto her finger. She showed the engagement band to Demi, Paulina, and Simon. "We've been engaged for a month now!"

"Have you picked out a dress yet? It's the most stressful part before deciding on decorations for a bride to be," Paulina spoke knowingly.

"I've gotten a few picked out, including the garter belts for 'em," Kelly responded.

"You've got to show us them sometime," Demi said. "Simon, are you ready to tell your secret now?"

"No, I want to hear more of yours before I know I'm ready," Simon said.

"All right. So who will go first this time around?" Demi asked Paulina and Kelly.

"I can this time," Paulina decided. "I tend to draw or doodle on anything I can get my hands to. Including my own and notes for the shows I've been on have been covered in doodles."

"That's not a secret, Paulina!" Demi and Kelly said in unison.

"I saw you doodling during the first auditions we filmed, Paulina," Simon added in.

"It's not secret then?" Paulina asked.

"No! Not if we've seen you doing it Pau-Pau," Demi said.

"Okay," Paulina said, giving in to the fact her secret was not actually that secret. "Kelly, do you want to go then?"

"Sure," Kelly said, thinking of something she could say. "Here's a good one. Beyoncé and her husband were about to give up trying for children when she got pregnant with Blue Ivy. I've got a lot of Beyoncé secrets from when we were in Destiny's Child together."

"You're gonna have to tell me more Beyoncé and Destiny's Child secrets," Demi said.

"I can tell you so many more," Kelly replied to Demi. "I'm still in contact with Beyoncé. We talk about once a week."

"You still talk to Beyoncé?" Simon asked. "I've heard of group members refusing to talk to one another after they've broken up before. That's good you're still friends."

Simon was now rambling. He was hiding something he didn't want to say.

"My turn," Demi spoke. "I just left living in my sober living house. I haven't relapsed, yet."

"That's good you're out of the house, Demi," Simon congratulated. He had been privy to Demi's struggles and had often come over when she needed to be comforted and Wilmer was away filming so he couldn't see her. Simon had helped Demi throw away her old blades with Wilmer. Simon was just like a father to Demi.

"That's awesome, Demi," Kelly said. She got up from her seat, hugged Demi, and then sat back down.

"That's good you haven't relapsed since leaving the sober living place. How long were you there, Demi?" Paulina asked, knowing soberity was a tough topic for Demi to talk about.

"Over a year. Around a year and three months," Demi replied to Paulina.

"That's a long time," Paulina remarked.

"At least I made some friends during my stay at the house or it would've felt longer than it did," Demi replied.

Kelly didn't know what else to say to Demi so she spoke, "Simon, I believe it's your turn to tell a secret. No, secrets because Demi, Pau-Pau, and I all told two so now you have to tell two as well."

"So what are the secrets?" Demi prompted.

"Do I have to share secrets?" Simon asked nervously.

" _Sí_. You have to tell," Paulina replied.

Simon gulped with nervousness and spoke, "alright."

"So what are they? What was the video you were watching earlier?" Demi prompted again.

"The two that I will tell are tied together," Simon said nervously, trying to stall for time.

He bowed his head and wriggled his fingers in his palm, leaving the crescent shaped marks of his nails bright white against his skin for a second.

"Tell us then," Kelly prompted this time.

Simon sighed and then spoke, "I have a girlfriend. She's sweet, amazing, beautiful, and loving-"

He was interrupted by Paulina saying, "congratulations, Simon!"

"She sounds amazing, Simon. I'm sure you two will be perfect for each other!" Demi spoke.

"Please, let me finish, girls," Simon said before continuing, "but she's currently going through the process of being divorced. She became my girlfriend while she was still married. Her name's Lauren.

"Simon! Why would you do something like that?" Kelly said, fuming now at Simon.

Demi and Paulina both sat in stony silence, mad at Simon.

"Demi," Simon continued. "I'll show you the video you had wanted to see when I was watching it.

Simon brought his phone to life and clicked on his text message app. He clicked on the contact named Lauren and brought up a video. It was the one Demi had wanted to see.

"An ultrasound?!" Demi gasped, shocked.

"Let me see!" Kelly said taking the phone from Simon's hand and showing it to Paulina.

Paulina was the first one to figure it out and said, "you got Lauren pregnant! Didn't you?!"

Simon nodded, afraid at what might come out of his mouth next.

"We forgot protection. It was a heat of the moment thing," Simon whispered. "I didn't realize until it was too late and she forgot she didn't take her birth control that day either."

"How could you have been so irresponsible, Simon?" Demi fumed. She calmed herself down and said, "you'll be a good dad, Simon. I know you will."

"I've seen you with life before, Simon. I'm sure you'll be a great father," Kelly said.

"I'm scared if I won't be a good father. I'm never around," Simon confessed.

"You'll do fine. When is the baby due?" Paulina asked after she had calmed herself down.

"February," Simon answered. "That's the first ultrasound Lauren has had to send me since I was told I was going to be a father."

"How far along is Lauren?" Demi asked.

"I can't remember. When we land I'll tell you," Simon replied.

"You can't remember?" Kelly asked, laughing.

"Yes, sadly. I don't even know if my child will be old enough to remember me when I die," Simon said.

"Don't be that way, Simon! I demand you cheer up!" Demi said in her most authoritive voice and put a stern expression on her face.

Simon laughed and said, "what if I don't want to?"

"Then...then I'll tickle you!" Demi said, unbuckling her seat belt.

"I'd like to see you try, brat," Simon commented.

Demi got up and stood in front of Simon. She bent over and started to tickle his stomach. He began to laugh as Demi tickled him. Demi stopped when she saw Simon grinning and begging her for mercy.

"Please, please!" Simon begged Demi to stop tickling him in between his laughter.

"Have you cheered up? I won't stop until you have!" Demi reminded him.

Paulina and Kelly were both laughing as Demi tickled Simon because he didn't respond. Simon tried to push Demi off of him without any success.

"Are you cheered up now?" Demi asked again.

"Yes! Please, stop!" Simon laughed as he gave into Demi's merciless tickling. "I beg you! Please, stop!"

"Are you truly cheered up?" Demi asked.

"Yes!" Simon said, still laughing from Demi's tickle attack.

"Good," Demi said as she sat back down in her seat next to Simon.

"Does she do this all the time?" Paulina asked. Demi shrugged her shoulders like she didn't know as a reply.

"She does," Simon replied to Paulina's question.

"I like doing it to annoy him and to make him laugh," Demi said with a smile.

 _I do it because I'm his brat_ , she thought as she pulled her book out to read, still smiling.


End file.
